1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a train control system, and more specifically, relates to a train control system of detecting a train location by using radio distance measurement and controlling the train.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, in a train control system using a so-called radio distance measurement system, a vehicle radio set is mounted on a train, a wireless network is formed between the vehicle radio set and a plurality of wayside radio sets which is spatially separated and disposed along a wayside of a track on which the train travels, and then, wireless propagation delay (time) between an on-board antennal of the vehicle radio set and a wayside antenna of the wayside radio set is measured, to detect a train location, so that train control is performed on the basis of the detected train location.
As a train control system using such a radio distance measurement system, conventionally, for example, a technique including: wireless train location detecting unit that detects a train location on a predetermined track on the basis of a propagation time of a radio wave between a vehicle radio set mounted on a train traveling on the predetermined track and a ground radio set disposed at a predetermined location on the ground; a travel distance calculating unit that calculates a travel distance of the train on the predetermined tack on the basis of an output signal of a tachometer generator connected to an axle of the train; a temporary reference location setting unit that sets the train location detected by the wireless train location detecting unit as a predetermined temporary reference location; and train location detection calculating unit that detects a train location on the predetermined track on the basis of the temporary reference location set by the temporary reference location setting unit and on the basis of the travel distance calculated by the travel distance calculating unit, has been disclosed (refer to, for example, Japanese Laid-open (Kokai) Patent Application Publication No. 2007-331629).
In so-called moving block control as described in the conventional technique, a control with shortened operation intervals can be performed by detecting the distance to a preceding train, however, for example, in a station yard, it is necessary to switch a turnout according to a track on which a train arrives at a station. Therefore, even in the case in which the railroad tracks on which a preceding train and a following train arrive at the station are different, when the route of the preceding train is locked by an interlocking device, the following train cannot move to the route of itself. After the preceding train passes through the turnout, the lock of the turnout is released, and then, the turnout is switched and locked, and thereafter, the traveling of the following train is allowed. Therefore, there is a problem such that the following train has to temporarily stop and wait until switching of the turnout is completed.